cooling vests

[old2soon]

     WIDE swing in pricing from bout $40.00 to $500.00. Any one better than another? Evaporative pre frozen gel paks or fill up with ice when neede? Any recommendationsas to ones to avoid ones to use? Tried the usual tricks yesterday wetting inside of helmet and do rag and wetting down my T shirt. All TEMPORARY at best. So again a query for our own collective. And as ALWAYS T I A!  RIDE SAFE.

[Oss]

https://www.mycoolingstore.com/alphacool-evaporative-cooling-vest.html?mainc=AC-EV-G-XXL-3XL&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=&scid=scplpAC-EV-G-XXL-3XL&sc_intid=AC-EV-G-XXL-3XL&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6auyBhDzARIsALIo6v8fA6Bc4ki-0XEPOewVAakK5TtqCsEFpLRRt2HffQnDKVQKGZYEG_gaArYjEALw_wcB

I have something like this for a decade


Only works in low humidity  and you can use your mesh jacket outside it. They do run small and tight

 You may be cold and wet  depending on how cold the ice water was that you used to energize it    

In high heat country figure every hour or so you recharge it at the gas station when you gas up and take a bathroom break
by soaking it in a gallon zip lock bag of ice water  which is also how I keep my helmet cool inside
but that is ok as I always say you never get untired once you are worn out

nothing wrong with stopping every hour and a half on a long trip

[carolinarider09]

I have used something similar to what OSS has described above.  I did not find they were that beneficial. 

I don't know why for sure but, since the notion is that the vests are sort of wet and the evaporation of water liquid to gas provides the cooling effect, you need low humidity and good airflow. 

Since I have windscreens on all my bikes that seemed to limit the airflow. 

But it has been some time since I have used the one I have.  As I said, I will have to go see if I can find. it.

[Detn8er]

Screen door submarine.

[Jess from VA]

I tried two of those things and they work, sort of.  The more expensive polymer vest did not work as well as a cheaper cotton one, and was hotter too.  

Both mine hold and release water (no ice or ice packs), so you wear a T shirt (which gets wet), then the vest, then a full mesh all vents open jacket (holding the cooling humidity to your body).  The leaky vest in combination with riding through the wind gives you evaporative cooling.  I would charge mine up with water, roll it up in a big plastic bag, and stick it in the refrigerator, until departure.  You could not use it for a couple hours, it'd freeze your noogies off.  

Unfortunately they always gave me a wet crotch (which is not cooling but uncomfortable and hot).  And when you get off the bike, you appear to have pissed yourself.

So i never use them, and if it's hot enough to want one, I don't ride.  Or go at the grey of dawn before the heat.

[3fan4life]

I have one similar to the one Oss posted about, I paid about $40 for it at Sturgis in 2019.

It definitely helps on a really hot day.

Get it as wet as you can and don't wring it out.

This will get you wet but on a hot day that is OK!

They're usually good for about an hour or so.

The lower the humidity the faster they dry out, but they cool better getting there and it lasts much longer than just a wet T-Shirt.

I started wetting it down first thing on gas stops and if the place has one of those machines outside where they sell bagged ice, I will stuff it inside the ice machine until I'm ready to leave.

I've gotten some strange looks but no-one has ever said anything negative to me about it.  

[Bigwolf]

Well, I am often "outside the Box" of normal thinking, and I guess my method of dealing with hot days/rides is no exception.
I bought a 3 liter hydration backpack,  cut the belt off, sewed suspender hooks to the bottom, and replaced the bite valve with a lever valve.  I wear a cotton shirt, fill the hydro bladder with ice and water, and wear my mesh jacket over that.  With this set up, I can make several adjustments on the fly and as the heat index changes.  First, I can adjust for hotter or not so awful hot temps by how much ice versus water I put in the hydro bladder....that has a direct effect on my back, modified somewhat by the thickness of the cotton shirt.  The next possible adjustment comes with the ability to grab the hose that is partially secured at my shoulder, open the valve, and let water flow onto and through my mesh jacket to recharge the "swamp cooling" of the jacket and the cotton shirt.  I can do that at anytime, or anywhere, along my ride.  Then too, if I get thirsty, I have cool water at my fingertips and can easily open the valve and stick that tube up inside my full face helmet to get a drink.

It ain't for everybody but it has always worked well for me.

Bigwolf

[LadyDraco]

we  use  to use  the  JoeRocket cool vest.
It worked  ok.. Still have 'em..  Haven't used  them in years..
  They worked  the  best in dry heat..

[Beer van Huet]

I met a professor in Izmir, Turkey some time ago.
He was my landlord while I was staying there temporarily.
He once told me he developed textile/fabric in his university that felt cold in hot ambient temperatures.
Truly amazing, isn't it. The hotter, the cooler the textile.
No ice, electricity or whatever. Just by the nature and composition of the textile.
He was in the process of getting a patent for it.
This was some 15 years ago.
I wonder why this is not widespread available right now.